Apparatus for producing feather or shot metal



(No'ModeL) v D. BRODERICK.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FEATHER 0R SHOT METAL- No, 576,773. Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

in side elevation; and Fig. 2 is a section UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL BRODERICK, OF LAUREL HILL, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FEATHER OR SHOT METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 576,773, dated February 9, 1897. Application filed August 14, 1896. Serial No. 602,735. (No model-l mum and in which large quantities may bev produced rapidly and with slight cost.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section through the apparatus, part of the same being shown through the tank at right angles to the section upon which Fig. l is taken. the plane of the section being denoted by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The tank which is to receive the molten metal is denoted by A and may be of any desired size and shape. The sides of the tank, or portions of them, converge to form a reduced space at the bottom of the tank for directing the feather metal into a compact mass for convenience in removing the metal from the tank.

The tank A is kept supplied With water through suitable inlet-pipes a, (in thepresent instance three are shown,) which pipes enter the tank through its rear wall a.

An agitator or paddle B is mounted within the tank A and extends transversely across the same near its rear wall a, the shaft 1) of the said paddle being mounted in suitable hearings in the side walls a a of the tank. This shaft 1) is further provided with a suitable drive-pulley h for the engagement of a driving-belt (not shown) for rotating the paddle B. The paddle B is preferably rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. 1.

To the rear of the tank A, I provide a chute C, which chute is so located that its mouth a is over the tank A for directing the metal from the chute into the said tank. The rear portion of the chute C is preferably enlarged, as shown at c, and it is adapted to receive the molten metal from a converter D or any other suitable vessel in which the metal may be melted.

The chute O is supported adjustably in the following manner: A suitable support E (in the present instance a tripod) is located beneath the enlarged portion of the chute C, and a screw-threaded bolt F is secured at its upper end to the chute O and has a screwthreaded engagement with the head e of the tripod E. It will thus be seen that by the rotation of the tripod the rear portion of the chute may be either raised or lowered to get the desired inclination of the chute.

The chute O is vibrated laterally on the bolt F as a hinge for causing the mouth 0 of the chute to direct the molten metal back and forth from side to side within the tank, so as to effectually distribute it into the water within the tank over the paddle B. The chute may be caused to vibrate by any desired means. In the present instance I have shown the same as supported at a point between the mouth and the rear portion of the chute by a chain, which chain may be attached to any desired point above the chute.

The tank A is preferably provided with an inclined shelf a at the top of its rear wall a for preventing the liability of any of the mol-' ten metal being thrown outside the tank as the chute O is vibrated. The means which'I have shown for removing the feather or shot metal from the tank A is an endlesscarrier G,the said carrier passing around a suitable sprocket g, mounted in the tank A near its bottom and also passing around a sprocket g, located above the top of the tank A. The endless carrier is provided with suitable buckets 9 which, as the carrier is driven, scoop up the feather or shot metal and convey it first upwardly out of the tank and then dump the same into any suitable receptacle. In the present instance I have shown a hopper H in proximity to the tank Aand in such position that it will receive the feather metal from the buckets 9 Below the hopper may be placed a suitable car I for receiving the feather metal and conveying it to any desired point.

In the operation the molten metal is poured from the converter D into the chute O and from there direct-ed into the tank A, the chute being vibrated for the purpose of directing the molten metal back and forth from side to side within the tank. The paddle or agitator B Will then by its rotation serve to distribute the molten metal and cause it to assume its shot or feather condition. The feather metal will then fall to the bottom of The tank, where it will be removed by the endless carrier G.

To provide against the possibility of the metal sticking or adhering to the rear wall of the tank A, I provide two water-inlet pipes a, which enter the tank through its sides a a near its rear Wall a.

The tank A may be provided with any suitable outlet a for allowing the escape of superfluous Water within the tank. The inlet a is preferably located just above the top of the paddle B.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the construction and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth, but

hat I claim as my invention is An apparatus for the production of feather or shot metal comprising a tank for containin g \vater,a laterally-vibrating" chute mounted on a suitable support the said chute being adapted to receive the molten metal and distribute it from side to side within the tank, an agitator Within the tank, and means for removing the shot or feather metal from the tank substantially as herein set forth.

DANIEL BRODERIOK.

\Vitnessos: V

THOMAS F. LITTLE, EUGENE FLAI-IERTY. 

